legend Gary Neville believes Liverpool will once again be the biggest threat to ’s crown next season.
’s men wereyesterday following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
The only season City haven’t won it since 2018 is in 2020, when Liverpool ran out winners.
Liverpool pushed City close last season, taking the title race to the final day.
But their challenge collapsed early doors this season and the Reds are all but certain to finish outside the top four.
Arsenal have been City’s biggest challengers, while Manchester United flirted with doing so for a matter of weeks in January.
But Neville says Liverpool are the only team that have proven they can take on – and beat – City.
Asked who is best placed to challenge City, Neville said: ‘The team that got the alignment of quality and mentality.
‘Manchester City’s players here have real quality, that goes without saying. But in the most difficult moments of the season in the Premier League they’re able to put a run together and come through difficult challenges. That takes a lot. It takes a manager who can guide them through moments and bring them that stability. The other clubs have got to look at that same model.
‘It happened for many years under Sir Alex Ferguson. It happened with Liverpool under Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly, under great managers like Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. You’ve got to be a great manager and you’ve got to have a great bunch of players to be able to do it consistently like they have. The other teams have got to aspire to that.
‘At this moment in time the one who have proven it over the last six years is Liverpool. I know Arsenal have run City close this year but the only team that I can say at the moment that have demonstrated that they can go close to Guardiola’s City is Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
‘I know they’ve dropped well below their standards this season but you don’t know whether they will get back to those standards next season, because they’ve proven they can do that before.’
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